One man was killed on New Year’s Day after being attacked by a lion near the Shimba Hills Wildlife Reserve in Matuga, Kwale County.
The body of the man, believed to be a bodaboda operator, was found on Monday morning, just meters away from where his motorcycle was discovered abandoned on the road near the reserve.
“We received reports from the public that there was a red motorcycle lying on the Kwale road towards Kinango in the Marere Forest area,” the police report said.
Police later discovered lion footprints and followed them until they found the body of the man who had been injured by the lion.
Confirming the incident, Kwale County Police Commander Stephen Ng’etich stated that the authority led by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had confirmed the presence of a roaming lion in Kwale County.
Mr. Ng’etich urged residents to be cautious and avoid the road, especially during the night.
“We have confirmed that there is a lion roaming in the area, and as we wait for a team from Nairobi to track it, we urge residents to avoid using that road. If found, it will be relocated,” Ng’etich said, adding that KWS guards are now monitoring the area.
The body of the injured man, with injuries to the head, legs, and abdomen, is now in the morgue at the Kwale Sub-County Hospital awaiting a post-mortem examination and identification by his family.
The Chairman of the Kwale Bodaboda Association, Nehemiah Kinywa, urged motorcycle operators to be cautious when using the road.
“We urge all our members to be careful and avoid using the road, especially at night for their safety,” Kinywa said.
Residents have also been asked to stay vigilant as the lion continues to be sought.
Last year, residents complained of elephants invading their homes, with farmers risking their lives sleeping outside to protect their crops from being destroyed by the animals.
